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There are 207 miles between my church home in Peoria, AZ and the barrios of Rocky Point, Mexico. The 207 Miles charity ride was launched to increase awareness of the poverty in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico & to raise funds for the people battling that poverty. The ride is a annual two day, 207 mile, cycling event from Phoenix to Rocky Point. Visit the 207miles website for more info.

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I am sitting here working on my training plan for the ride in January as I look through websites and in bicycling mags for research. The problem is that Cycling magazines and websites have way too much bicycle "eye candy" to keep me focused and before long I am rationalizing why I need a new bike in the midst of trying to raise money for the impoverished.

This begs the question. How much is my cycling habit worth? I would say I am a modest rider. I buy my bikes used, I buy what I can on sale and I don't have top of the line anything (except my watch) :) So I start doing the math...On a typical Saturday how much money do I have invested in my ride? Bike ($800 used/$1500 new) Helmet and Glasses ($130) Jersey, Shorts, Shoes ($170) GPS Watch ($275) Lighting system ($90) Water Bottles/Recovery Drink/Gu ($25) Spare Tube, Frame Pump, Tail light, patch kit, tools ($50), Banana ($0.5)

So this hobby of mine that basically keeps me fit and helps with my sanity a bit runs a tab of about $2,000, remember I consider myself modest. We trickle these purchases over time in the name of recreation and before we know it we have invested in something.

Two questions. Is it worth the investment? What's the global worth of that investment?

The first question I have to wrestle with myself (as I will leave you as well to privately wrestle with rationalizing your Wii, golf game, Starbucks habit or your Macbook). The second I can answer for you. 207 miles from your front door my habit would build a house for a homeless family in Mexico. I am not preaching against the things that God has blessed us with in the US, heck without my bike this idea would not exist, but what I am saying is if we can put that much cash into a part time hobby, think of what we could accomplish putting at least an equal part into a cause beyond ourselves.

So tomorrow when you log-on, tee-up or plug-in, pause for a minute. In that moment do me a favor and thank God for your affluence and then when he tells you to do something with it, listen to him.